The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-06
GLADSTONE eSPEAKS.
The Ex-Premier Opposes Coer'
cion in Ireland.
An Address Which Greatly Pleased
Parnell's Followers.

day evening the debate on the motion for ur-
gency for the Coercion bill was resumed by
Mr.. Gladstone he referred to the "unprece-
dented" position of the House, which had al
ready sat two months, during which, he said,
its independent initiative had been suppressed.
Even now the Conservatives exulted over the
prospect of passinga motion forcing the House
TO an absolute surrender of its whole time
until a bill of an extremely severe character
had been carried. The House was threatened
with frequent application of closure Shut
ting off discussion) if debates were protracted.
No greater calamity could befall the House
than this sort of pressure. 1t would sap tho
authority of the Chair and bring the procedure
rules into disrepute.
He had seen more parliamentary life than
any other man in the House. but he never
knew of 50 grave state of affairs 1t was
due to an extreme abuse of power by
the majority which, if persisted in would
leave behind a sense OF mtoleranie
wrong. The yoke thus put on the neck
of the House would not be borne
patiently. The position of affairs now was
very different from that when the Coercion
bill of 1881 was passed. There were no papers
before the House now, nor was there any IN
dication of the nature Of the proposed Gov
ernment measure.
Heretofore, in asking special legislation for
dealing with crime in Ireland, Ministers had
tried to show that the terrible prevalence or
crime threatened social order. Was that the
case now! No. The House had been told that
the number Of agrarian offences prior to the
passage of Mr. Forsters coercion act exceeded
the highest number since. Crime then, now
ever, was of different character from that
which the Government sought now to check.
The present crime consisted in combining 10
obtain reduction of rent. Irish cheers.]
Even the evidence which the Government
nut before the House showed that this crime
was restricted to demands for just attachments
of rent. Never had any former coersion act
been resisted by majority of the members
from Ireland. [Cheers.l Now there was pro-
test against coercion from an overwhelming
majority of the Irish members. [Cheersl Had
the government any just claim for demanding
coercion or urgency for a new repressiVe
measure! After appointing a commission to eX-
anime on the spot the rent question and the
evils arising from the land laws, the Govern
ment now put aside the recommendations OF
the commission and asked Parliament for In
creased power to make the laws still more Of
fensive to the general sense of the people
Irish cheers1
General Buffers evidence proved that the
tenants not paying rent were anxious TO pay;
that there was no general movement against
the payment OF rent, but only combined ell
fort to obtain fair rents The Irish people were
apt to follow the example constantly
set by others and see what they could
Cheers I The Government said that
contracts should not be broken, yet Mr.. Bal
four, while preaching the doctrine of the sane.
tity Of contracts was going to introduce Dill
breaking leaSehold contracts that were ad-
iusted under the land act of 1881, just as tho
judicial rents were
1t was not to vindicate the sanctity Of con-
tracts nor to repress widespread outbreak OF
crime that the Government now demanded
coercion for Ireland. Of whatever nature the
Government measure should turn out to be, it
was the duty of the Liberals now, whether in
minority or in majority, to refuse urgency. He
trusted that the people of England would see
the Liberals united in opposing this III -omened
measure to the last stage, and that the Liber-
al members would ring out the voices Of JUS
tice and reason against a Government which
after eighty-six years OF experience were
preparing, under the name of statue OF Par
lament, to strike fresh blow at the life and
happiness of Ireland and at the prosperity,
contentment, and unity of the empire.
(Cheers.)
Mr.. Chamberlain spoke in behalf of
coercion, and said he did not believe remedial
measures would have any chance to succeed
supreme.
The British Ministry decided to permit a
prolongation Of the discussion, but insisted
that the House forego its Easter vacation
unless tho Coercion bill be passed before the
holidays.
A section Of the Gladstonian party is said to
be dis,ontented with Mr.. Gladstone's half
veiled approval of the plan Of campaign. The
English Home4tHlers and the Parnellites are
delighted with the speech.
Mr.. Balfour, in introducing the Coercion
bill, will respond to Mr.. Gladstone's challenge
to the Government to state what crime exists
that justifies the adoption of the measure. The
Dublin Executive has prepared a statement
which is designed to assist Mr.. Balfour in
proving that the plan of campaign is now
being directed against tradesmen who are
creditors of farmers belonging to the National
L:ague. The Parnellites will maintain that
the plan is strictly confined to arrangements
about rent.